Twilight device

ABSTRACT

A device being in the form of a predetermined animal having a light emitting feature. The animal has at least a head and body. A plurality of light emitting members of varying colors being placed within the body, and a plurality of apertures being formed through the top surface of the body. Each aperture being in the shape of a star, and the placement of the apertures forming the pattern of a predetermined constellation. The light emitting members and apertures being formed in a manner such that light shines through the apertures and projects outwardly when the light emitting members are turned on.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/132,035, filed on May 19, 2005. This application also claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/656,618, filed Feb. 28, 2005. The entire contents of these non-provisional and provisional patent applications are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to toy devices, and more particularly, this invention relates to a toy having a light emitting feature.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are toys shaped in the form of miscellaneous animals. Some of these toys are simply stuffed with materials while others are simply hollow. There are some which have glow in the dark features. Others have light built therein on predetermined parts thereof which light up with the application of pressure on a predetermined portion thereof. However, there is no known device in the prior art as the twilight device taught in the present invention.

It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a toy device shaped in the form of an animal which has a light emitting feature. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a toy device which can function as a nightlight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a toy device having a light emitting feature. The device is a toy being shaped in the form of a predetermined animal. The animal has at least a head and body. Within the body is housed a plurality of light emitting members of varying colors. The body has a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The apertures can be in the shape of stars. The light emitting members and apertures are formed in a manner such that light shines through the apertures and projects outwardly when the light emitting members are turned on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, by way of example, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of an embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the present invention showing the inner components of the body of the device; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention as shown in FIG. 1 is a toy device having a light emitting feature. The device is a toy being shaped in the form of a predetermined animal. For the purposes of illustration, the toy in FIG. 1 is shaped in the form of a turtle. The animal has at least a head, body, and top surface of the body. The turtle in FIG. 1 has a head 10, four arms 15, body 17, top surface of the body 18, and tail 19. For the turtle in FIG. 1, the top surface of the body 18 is a shell. Housed within the body 17 are a plurality of light emitting members 20 of varying colors. The light emitting members 20 can be those known in the art including light bulbs and LED. A timer unit is operatively connected to the light emitting members. A start key 21 is placed on the toy device for controlling the timer unit. The timer unit functions to activate the light emitting members 20 to be turned on for a predetermined period of time. The toy device further includes a color select switch 25 having two or more slots 26 placed thereon for controlling which of the plurality of light emitting members 20 will be turned on at a given time. Each slot 26 on the color select switch 25 corresponds to a different predetermined selection of the plurality of light emitting members 20 which will be turned on together. The selection of lights can be random or based on those light emitting members 20 having the same colors.

Also, within the body is placed a reflector base 23 surrounding the light emitting members 20. The reflector base 23 has a reflective top surface 24.

The body 17 has a plurality of apertures 28 formed through the top surface 18 thereof. In the illustration shown of the turtle, the top surface of the body 17 is the shell 18. FIG. 1 shows the apertures 28 extending through the shell 18 and into the body 17. The shell 18 can be an opaque shell made of a plastic material. In the embodiment shown, a battery box 31 for containing one or more batteries is provided in the toy device for supplying power to the operation of the light emitting members 20. The apertures 28 can be shaped into predetermined forms, and also can be arranged in desired patterns. Each aperture shown in FIG. 1 is in the shape of a star, and the apertures are arranged in the form of a constellation. The light emitting members 20 and apertures 28 are formed in a manner such that light shines through the apertures 28 and projects outwardly when the light emitting members 20 are turned on. In use, the effect of the light emitting through the apertures 28 is the creation of a star filled night sky on the ceiling and/or walls of a room.

In addition, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the turtle has a shell 18 divided into multiple sections 34. All sections 34 can have apertures 28 formed therethrough to form the identical constellation pattern on each section 34. In the alternative, all sections 34 can have apertures formed therethrough to form a different constellation pattern on each section 34.

While embodiments of the invention has been described and illustrated for purposes of clarity and example, it should be understood that many changes, substitutions and modifications to the described embodiments will be apparent to those having skill in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention which is defined by the claims which will follow. 

1. A light emitting device comprising: an opaque shell mounted on a top surface of a body formed in a shape of a toy animal; and light projection components disposed on the body inside the opaque shell, including a reflector base surrounding a plurality of light emitting members, the reflector base having a reflective top surface configured to outwardly project light emitted from the light emitting members out of the body through a plurality of apertures formed through the opaque shell, the plurality of apertures shaping the outwardly-projected light emitted from the body by the reflective surface to form a specific pattern in an enclosed area in which the device is located, the plurality of light emitting members coupled to a power source activated by a start key positioned on an outside surface of the opaque shell.
 2. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the light projection components outwardly project light of varying colors emitted by the plurality of light emitting members.
 3. The light emitting device of claim 2, further comprising a color select switch having two or more keys thereon for controlling which of the plurality of light emitting members will be turned on at a given time.
 4. The light emitting device of claim 1, further comprising a timer unit operatively coupled to the plurality of light emitting members, wherein the start key activates the plurality of light emitting members for a predetermined time sequence.
 5. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the body is formed in a shape of a toy animal substantially forms the shape of a turtle.
 6. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the specific pattern provides an appearance of a constellation.
 7. The light emitting device of claim 6, wherein the opaque shell includes a plurality of sections, each section having apertures therein which form a constellation in a substantially identical specific pattern with other sections when light is outwardly projected through the apertures by the light projection components.
 8. The light emitting device of claim 6, wherein the opaque shell includes a plurality of sections, each section having apertures therein which form a constellation in a different specific pattern from other sections when light is outwardly projected through the apertures by the light projection components.
 9. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein each aperture shapes the outwardly-projected light as a celestial body in the specific pattern to form an appearance of the constellation.
 10. A child's toy comprising: a plush animal body having a general appearance of a turtle, the body having a head and an opaque shell mounted thereon, the opaque shell having a plurality of apertures; and light projection components that include a reflector base surrounding a plurality of light emitting members, the reflector base having a reflective top surface configured to outwardly project at least one color of light emitted by the plurality of light emitting members in a timed sequence, the plurality of apertures shaping the outwardly-projected light emitted from the plush animal body in a specific pattern in a darkened room in which the child's toy is located.
 11. The child's toy of claim 10, wherein the plush animal body forms a nightlight illuminated by the light projection components.
 12. The child's toy of claim 11, wherein the at least one color is selected using a color select switch having at least one key, positioned on an outside surface of the opaque shell.
 13. The child's toy of claim 11, wherein the timed sequence is controlled by a timer unit operatively connected to the plurality of light emitting members to emit light for a predetermined period of time.
 14. The child's toy of claim 10, wherein the specific pattern provides an appearance of a constellation.
 15. The child's toy of claim 14, wherein the opaque shell includes a plurality of sections, each section having apertures therein which form the constellation in a substantially identical specific pattern with other sections when light is outwardly projected through the apertures by the light projection components.
 16. The child's toy of claim 14, wherein the opaque shell includes a plurality of sections, each section having apertures therein which form the constellation in a different specific pattern from other sections when light is outwardly projected through the apertures by the light projection components.
 17. The child's toy of claim 14, wherein each aperture in the plurality of apertures shapes the outwardly-projected light as a celestial body in the specific pattern to form the appearance of the constellation. 